I first heard this poem when I was a student at the University of Pretoria in 2010, with my second postgraduate qualification. The message really touched me, they spoke to me and I swore to myself that I would not allow myself to be taken advantage of. I am now 37 listening to the poem again. I still love the lesson.
"Hands feel like hands in the middle of the dark, but his voice don't sound like yours no matter how many lights I turn off." I will never get enough of this poem.
"i'm reminded that when its done they can call on your soul when ever they want to; at will. When ever their lonely needs its fix" I love that!! it just sets the whole poem to a slayed rest! its sooo relatable and true
No matter how many times I watch this, and even after memorizing it- I can't seem to get enough of it. Tears are brought to my eyes every time without fail.
Alysia: I know that you’ve heard this before, I know that your patience has run thin and these love poems are getting boring. After the 5th one night stand, she said she felt like a slave to your lips. I guess that’s when you started fearing, using your tongue as a whip. When the lust is so thick and the morals so weak, her blood still violet on the inside but her lipstick’s gram pink. When you scrape your paintbrush across her canvas, nothing but water color courage and red wine to pour. Intentions and temptations blurred like, like a beautiful sunset but you swore on the blood of every black bird. Not to answer her calls, not to empty her depths, not to fish her pearl but just look at her black curls. So much midnight about her you feel like she’s cursed. And you can’t tell what’s worst, admitting you’re a coward or telling her you just don’t want her. Miles: After the 5th one night stand with the 4th different woman for the 3rd time this month, he wrote a poem about how 2 is the loneliest number he’s ever known. And how the most at home he feels is in highway drives that wind him home, in the tar of I-95 north, across Bronx, south of route 4, west 87 towards Jersey. The damps of mattress plural she’s left behind, the contoured faces of girls wondering “why?” haunt through the air. And she likes it there. And he likes it there, in that haze. Alysia: She is literally saying his name Miles: In other men’s beds. She actually told them that but the last text he read said “Miles you are fucking disgusting, to think you came in me one week ago”. He puts the phone down back into the centre counsel of the car. Face steady like warriors after a clean death without a flinch or a murmur of lips as Take Care fades back through the speakers. You know, you know it’s messed up when you can start relating to that shit. When the best excuse you have for leaving before the sun rises is “she’ll never understand me anyways.” Alysia: And yeah, the truth hurts, but don’t tell her you love her if you’re not willing to put in work. After the 5th date, with the 4th guy who looks like you I’m beginning to wonder if I’m not just a little nostalgic and I’d apologize but he doesn’t love me anyways, he’s just in love with an idea, so I promise instead not to fart or cough. I’ma just let Einstein keep dreaming all hypothesis & semen. Why ruin the ambiance with honesty, I just happened to have breast and ass and added a bonus for free. So whatever feelings he claims he has it won’t last no matter how bad the hangover, it’ll past. Miles: ‘Cause I can stomach damn near everything, even gas and a lit match with your initials etched on the back Alysia: I don’t have to think when I’m with him if that’s any constellation, surface conversation in the blind observation that hands feel like hands in the middle of the dark. But his voice don’t sound like yours no matter how many lights I turn off. Miles: And I, and I, I can’t get high enough anymore to disregard the beautiful, young lady, my one and only, that reminded me, keeps reminding me that when you give yourself to someone, when your walls collapse and your masks are thrown to the floor. You’re so close to someone, that everything seems to have a taste, the texts of her insides, poems in self over swooning to cum at the same exact time. Alysia: I’m reminded that when it’s done, they can call on your soul whenever they want to and will, whenever their lonely needs its fix.
“But you swore on the blood of every black bird, Not to answer her calls. Not to empty her depths. Not to fish her pearl. But just look at her black curls, so much midnight about her you feel like she’s cursed.” 💔
Their poetry is so beautiful; it’s opens you up to your own soul’s vulnerability. Thank you for creating something beautiful to give to the world. ❤️🙏🏿
Me and girlfriend went through something similar. We recently broke up for good. I heard this poem months ago, and it was good. Now, it brings tears through my eyes.
I've listened to it hundreds of times and it never gets old. "You can't tell what's worse admitting you're a coward or telling her you just don't want her."
I teach young people Spokenword and this poem will now feature in a lot of my class sessions. I love the story narrative of the peace and the fact that Miles whom I saw at BMV in 2009 &10 when we brought a group over from the UK,he uses himself as the boy within the poem. It makes the poem poignant and strong. I love the impact at the end, the final reveal, the epiphany of the peace. Well done to both of you also the music score is brilliant too. There too many favourite lines within the poetry that sticks out at me I too like the end lines the most. "i'm reminded that when its done they can call on your soul when ever they want to; at will. When ever their lonely needs its fix" I love this also @ilaallstar
I LOVE ALYSIA HARRIS!! && this is the first time i've heard Miles Hodges. I can't get enough of this poem...I've been in this situation too many times, so I can relate. I would love to watch a live show though...smh i love this piece
I love poetry because of this... not only do you hear it but you feel it in your soul. This poetry is better than actual music. Poetry is absolutely amazing.
omg, listening to her spoken word puts me in a personal place about my life....it amazes me of ho much i relate to her poems...matter fact, going through this situation right now
This is so powerful. Poetry is one of those things that once you get hooked, you just can't seem to get enough. This is definitely one of those poems that you can listen to over and over and listen a different part every time. I hope to hear more and more in this style, I will definitely keep writing my own.
poetry illiterates decolonize the schools of mam who have been passed down by generation of English history because it dream of moving people with its works of words it all start Wit verbs
Who’s listening to this years later-- so fresh
It's 2022 and I'm here
Honestly I can’t believe it’s been 12 years.
It never gets old
These guys are the reason I found the courage to let my emotions spill. almost a decade later and I still get chills from these poems
6 years later and I still have it memorized. Still cry even though I'm not in this situation. That is true poetry.
Marie Madeleine Gnagniko 8 now
Chudier Khor like the back of my hand
8 years now. I come back to this when I want to feel.
This still runs chills down my back. Feels just as potent at 16 years old to now 24.
I first heard this poem when I was a student at the University of Pretoria in 2010, with my second postgraduate qualification. The message really touched me, they spoke to me and I swore to myself that I would not allow myself to be taken advantage of. I am now 37 listening to the poem again. I still love the lesson.
I still can't listen to this song without thinking about this performance. Every time I hear the song, I'd rather be listening to Alysia and Miles
still listening 🖤
Same
I play this probably once, maybe twice a year if I’m lucky. This piece is second to none in my humble opinion.
"Hands feel like hands in the middle of the dark, but his voice don't sound like yours no matter how many lights I turn off."
I will never get enough of this poem.
That shit got me missin an ex I don't have
Lol yass girl me too.
same effect as drake
Molina Danh you're so right, its a deep piece
Rt
OhshizitsTaylor i
8 years. 8 YEARS and I’m listening to this at 2 in the morning trying to get emotional and failing thoroughly.
❤❤❤
"i'm reminded that when its done they can call on your soul when ever they want to; at will. When ever their lonely needs its fix" I love that!! it just sets the whole poem to a slayed rest! its sooo relatable and true
This was my favourite one
I still come back to this.... even in 2021.
2023
“Why ruin the ambiance with honesty?” “His voice doesn’t sound like yours no matter how many lights I turn off” yessss
Who's listening in 2021? I haven't stopped since it came out.
God, Miles Hodges is freaking gorgeous. Wow
No matter how many times I watch this, and even after memorizing it- I can't seem to get enough of it. Tears are brought to my eyes every time without fail.
8 years later & yet still in love with this. The feels are always there.
Alyssia takes my breath away every time !
We really ARE the generation of 'not being in love' and 'not being together'...but we sure make it feel like we're together.
Still watching this is 2019 and still in love with this 😩🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻
The first time I saw this I was convinced Miles was singing. hahaha
Love this poem
Yo this is still fire 😭😭
This is my favorite. There's so much I get from this every time I re listen to it. Different feelings, different context, different reactions.
I feel truly sorry for everyone who haven't seen these videos of these amazing people. these should have million, trillions of views.
Whenever I'm having writers block I always listen to this to free my mind. This piece is just so amazing.
I think I listen to this at least 50 times a day.
It is really hitting home right now...
Alysia: I know that you’ve heard this before, I know that your patience has run thin and these love poems are getting boring. After the 5th one night stand, she said she felt like a slave to your lips. I guess that’s when you started fearing, using your tongue as a whip. When the lust is so thick and the morals so weak, her blood still violet on the inside but her lipstick’s gram pink. When you scrape your paintbrush across her canvas, nothing but water color courage and red wine to pour. Intentions and temptations blurred like, like a beautiful sunset but you swore on the blood of every black bird. Not to answer her calls, not to empty her depths, not to fish her pearl but just look at her black curls. So much midnight about her you feel like she’s cursed. And you can’t tell what’s worst, admitting you’re a coward or telling her you just don’t want her.
Miles: After the 5th one night stand with the 4th different woman for the 3rd time this month, he wrote a poem about how 2 is the loneliest number he’s ever known. And how the most at home he feels is in highway drives that wind him home, in the tar of I-95 north, across Bronx, south of route 4, west 87 towards Jersey. The damps of mattress plural she’s left behind, the contoured faces of girls wondering “why?” haunt through the air. And she likes it there. And he likes it there, in that haze.
Alysia: She is literally saying his name
Miles: In other men’s beds. She actually told them that but the last text he read said “Miles you are fucking disgusting, to think you came in me one week ago”. He puts the phone down back into the centre counsel of the car. Face steady like warriors after a clean death without a flinch or a murmur of lips as Take Care fades back through the speakers. You know, you know it’s messed up when you can start relating to that shit. When the best excuse you have for leaving before the sun rises is “she’ll never understand me anyways.”
Alysia: And yeah, the truth hurts, but don’t tell her you love her if you’re not willing to put in work. After the 5th date, with the 4th guy who looks like you I’m beginning to wonder if I’m not just a little nostalgic and I’d apologize but he doesn’t love me anyways,
he’s just in love with an idea, so I promise instead not to fart or cough. I’ma just let Einstein keep dreaming all hypothesis & semen.
Why ruin the ambiance with honesty, I just happened to have breast and ass and added a bonus for free. So whatever feelings he claims he has it won’t last no matter how bad the hangover, it’ll past.
Miles: ‘Cause I can stomach damn near everything, even gas and a lit match with your initials etched on the back
Alysia: I don’t have to think when I’m with him if that’s any constellation, surface conversation in the blind observation that hands feel like hands in the middle of the dark. But his voice don’t sound like yours no matter how many lights I turn off.
Miles: And I, and I, I can’t get high enough anymore to disregard the beautiful, young lady, my one and only, that reminded me, keeps reminding me that when you give yourself to someone, when your walls collapse and your masks are thrown to the floor. You’re so close to someone, that everything seems to have a taste, the texts of her insides, poems in self over swooning to cum at the same exact time.
Alysia: I’m reminded that when it’s done, they can call on your soul whenever they want to and will, whenever their lonely needs its fix.
DAMN! ::snaps profusely::
I will always remember this
Its 2021and i cant forget about this one....
I love this poem. Man I've watched it over 6 times. Peaceful. Music 👌🏿
These are my two favourite people.... This makes me ache every single time.
Intention and temptation blur like , like a beautiful sunset
This is still so incredibly moving
“But you swore on the blood of every black bird,
Not to answer her calls.
Not to empty her depths.
Not to fish her pearl.
But just look at her black curls, so much midnight about her you feel like she’s cursed.” 💔
It never gets old to me....
After 5 years still my favorite poem 😫😫😫
Me in 2021 🙌🏾😩
UPDATE::: BACK IN 2024 🧡
I can't stop replaying this
his voice don't sound like yours no matter how many lights I turn of..
That makes 10yrs. Timeless. 😢
Sigh I love themmm! Miles you melt my heart honey.
Lol he's 👌🏿👌🏿😊
Their poetry is so beautiful; it’s opens you up to your own soul’s vulnerability. Thank you for creating something beautiful to give to the world. ❤️🙏🏿
I cry every time. it's been years. lol... it's tiring. 😂😂
Sivenathi Mkaza very 😂
Listen 😩😭😭😭
Same.. till this day. This gets to me 6 years later smh
Me and girlfriend went through something similar. We recently broke up for good. I heard this poem months ago, and it was good. Now, it brings tears through my eyes.
This poem is honestly everything that pops up in my head but could never find the right words with cursing up a storm. 😞 🙌🏾
I love this one so much. Repeat since they uploaded it.
The concept of this poem and just every word is amazing... It's so gritty I just love it! #Amazing
still here ... I need y'all back! You all were the reason I started writing and performing. Love you guys and girls #thestriversrow
Still love this! Miss all of this real poetry.
This poem has meaning 😊 I love listening to it.
This is still my all time favorite poem
I've listened to it hundreds of times and it never gets old. "You can't tell what's worse admitting you're a coward or telling her you just don't want her."
2023 still hit my heart
moral of the story "soul ties are dangerous"...that was really deep
I teach young people Spokenword and this poem will now feature in a lot of my class sessions. I love the story narrative of the peace and the fact that Miles whom
I saw at BMV in 2009 &10 when we brought a group over from the UK,he uses himself as the boy within the poem. It makes the poem poignant and strong.
I love the impact at the end, the final reveal, the epiphany of the peace.
Well done to both of you also the music score is brilliant too. There too many favourite lines within the poetry that sticks out at me I too like the end lines the most.
"i'm reminded that when its done they can call on your soul when ever they want to; at will. When ever their lonely needs its fix" I love this also @ilaallstar
Damn this is amazing I’m here after so many years looking inspiration. Guess what? .......I found a ton load!
One of the most beautiful and captivating pieces I've ever heard. Watched it so many times
Nothing like Alysia n Miles to deal with these cold nights and hard dreams. Life savers! Please continue to inspire
5 years later and this is still amazing.
I've listened to this far too many times, but it's still not enough.
Love this forever x
I've been watching so many spoken words tonight and this is one of the most scarily hard-hitting poems. So gorgeously spoken, love it!
I Miss Strivers Row! Love seeing their growth now ✨
Still coming back for this. 2022.
No matter how many times a listen to this, I can't get enough. Definitely one of my favorites.
I LOVE ALYSIA HARRIS!! && this is the first time i've heard Miles Hodges. I can't get enough of this poem...I've been in this situation too many times, so I can relate. I would love to watch a live show though...smh i love this piece
That lifted my soul and made my hands go numb. Speechless. Pure artistry.
they went in!!! this is so deep. they did there thing. i will continue to watch this a thousand times.
I love poetry because of this... not only do you hear it but you feel it in your soul. This poetry is better than actual music. Poetry is absolutely amazing.
Never get tired of listening to this. A small reminder to remind me of my worth and not go back to someone who doesn't appreciate me. Thank you
omg, listening to her spoken word puts me in a personal place about my life....it amazes me of ho much i relate to her poems...matter fact, going through this situation right now
These two made my teen years ❤
i love this even more everytime i hear it.
you draking me right now!
"Don't tell her you love her if your not willing to put in the work". Seriously this poem moves mountains, of perspective.
I still love this so much
they went in!!! this is so deep. ill continue to watch it a thousand times.
I can't stop watching this !
i love the emphasis and passion the strivers row puts into their poetry
Still feels like I’m listening to this for the first time. It’s my 10000000000000th time
Wow! Just discovered this, I’m in love. Beautiful words, best expression of loneliness. 2022!!
I can't. This is too good. I cried.
This really is beautiful! They did great
This is so powerful. Poetry is one of those things that once you get hooked, you just can't seem to get enough. This is definitely one of those poems that you can listen to over and over and listen a different part every time. I hope to hear more and more in this style, I will definitely keep writing my own.
I absolutely love this piece..every single one of the Strivers are just simply amazing and masters in the art of words.
Oh how I wish I could see them live. Strivers Row produces some of the deepest poetry I've ever heard. It hits home...
I love them both so much. And I love this.
I love everything about this piece.
I can't get enough of this
This is the single most beautiful piece I've ever heard
I've watched this so much. It's so beautiful.
I'm new to this but think I found my fave....so far. Really appreciate creative truth such as this.
This is one of my all time favorites... just beautiful
I've listen to this poem at least ten times today. I love it
this speaks to me in so many levels right now. nothing cures broken heart and spirit like art does.
Every time I watch a Strivers Row piece I get inspired, thank you so much.
I've watched this so many times I know every word. Ahh, I love it! So powerful.
poetry illiterates decolonize the schools of mam who have been passed down by generation of English history because it dream of moving people with its works of words it all start Wit verbs